1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to hand-held or shouldered semi-automatic weapons of the double action type such as that described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,325 wherein the firing pin is both cocked and released for firing by a trigger bar articulated to the trigger. Specifically it relates to magazine safeties and cartridge ejectors for such weapons.
It is well known to those familiar with conventional semi-automatic firearms that a live round left in the chamber after the magazine has been removed from its receiver poses a great danger to those who may handle or be exposed to the seemingly unloaded weapon. In the hands of the young, the inexperienced, the careless, a pull of the trigger may fire the "unhappy bullet" in whatever direction the weapon happens to be pointing. The newspapers bear repeated and tragic testimony to the seriousness of this deficiency.
One of the principal objects of the subject invention is the provision in a semi-automatic double action firearm of means to prevent the weapon from being fired accidentally or inadvertently after the magazine has been removed from the receiver. Since semi-automatic firearms constructed in accordance with my previously mentioned patent contain inherent safety features which prevent them from being fired unintentionally while the magazine is in the receiver, the incorporation of the subject invention in such firearms effectively provides a family of weapons which are substantially accident-proof and which are very nearly fool-proof.
Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved ejector for semi-automatic firearms. A further object is the combination of such an ejector with a magazine safety of the type previously described, in a single, compact, lightweight assembly which can be adapted for use in various configurations of my patented semi-automatic.